£25,000 Worth Of Fishing Equipment Stolen

2 November 2011, 09:25

Detectives in Southampton are appealing for information after a burglary where thieves stole around £25,000 of angling equipment.

The burglars broke into the Poindestres Angling Centre in Cannon Street, Shirley sometime between Saturday, October 29 and Sunday, October 30 between 5pm and 8.30am. Police think they used a sledgehammer to break through an outside wall and enter the store.

They didn’t enter the main shop floor but instead targeted the display cabinets stealing the equipment inside including rods and reels.

All the equipment stolen was for fresh water fishing. Officers are now appealing either for witnesses who may have seen or heard the break-in or for anyone who gets offered cheap new angling equipment to contact them.

Detective Constable Claire Grant said: “This is quite an unusual way for burglars to get in and would have needed some pre-planning. The items that were stolen range in price from about £50 to £350 each and would be the kind of thing most anglers involved in fresh water fishing might use.

“We’d really like to hear from anyone who is offered cheap new fishing equipment as it could be an important lead for us.

“Even though the shop is located among other commercial premises we’d also like to hear from anyone who saw anything suspicious in the area or heard the noise that must have been made as they broke in.”

Anyone with information is asked to call DC Grant at Shirley CID on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.